Wednesday, May 16, 2007

People who inspire me: My sister Sarah

My little sister Sarah is graduating from high school tomorrow and I am so excited to go to her graduation celebration. It is hard to believe that she is 18 years old, and that she will be heading off to college in August. At the same time though I know she is ready to move on, she is such a mature and down to earth person I know she is going to do great things in her future. There are so many things that I admire about Sarah, her incredible sense of right and wrong, her intelligence, her caring and loving heart. I am so privileged to have such an amazing little sister, a beautiful and caring person who I love very much. I wrote a letter to her about a year ago, it was meant to be read at a retreat she was attending; for some reason she never got it so I have decided to post it here for everyone to read...

"Dear Sarah,

You are probably wondering why I am writing this letter to you. Well there are a few reasons. First I want to tell you that I love you, secondly I would like to tell you what an amazing young woman you are becoming. I like to think that I know you pretty well; I have known you your entire life. I have seen you grow from that little girl who was afraid of the grass, to a girl who is probably a better athlete than me. The time that we have spent together, the camping trips, the family vacations, the holidays have been some of the most incredible times of my life; and I know that there will be many more years of those amazing times to come. I have always felt very close to you because I think we have very similar personalities. We are both a little shy, we are both smart, neither one of us was ever that “rebellious teenager” unlike another sibling; and both of us need a little “push” every once in a while.
There are so many amazing things about you. You aren’t just an intelligent girl when it comes to school, you also have great common sense, but more importantly you have a great sense of what is right and wrong. You are such a strong person that you have no problem standing up for what is right; even when it can be very hard. Believe me I know it’s hard, I had to do it in college and high school; and continue to try and do it everyday. I know sometimes it is hard, but in the end it is always worth it. I know that you will always make smart decisions, and that you will always be that person that your friends admire and look up to. You have a quiet confidence about you which is one of the greatest qualities someone can have. You are also a very modest and caring person. You have always been one of the most kind-hearted people I know. You never have anything bad to say about someone, and you always try and find the positive in everyone and every situation.
I also want you to know that I will always be here for you; and you will always be a very important part of my life. It meant so much to me that you and Chrissy were able to be such an important part of my wedding. You will never know how much I loved seeing you both standing at the altar with me and Jessica. The way you have accepted Jessica as not only a sister-in-law, but just a sister is truly amazing. I know it means so much to her. You never cease to amaze me. Whether it is your grades, pushing yourself to be a better athlete, or just pushing yourself to be a better person; you truly are an amazing young woman.
I want you to know that not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for you being in my life. I couldn’t have asked for a better sister. I love you with all of my heart, and I am so excited for you. You are at an amazing time in your life, the next few years will be a time when you will continue to grow and mature. You are going to learn a lot about yourself and they type of person that you want to be. I am happy to be a part of this journey and I want you to know that I am only a 10 minute drive away. Sarah, I love you very much and I am so proud of you!

Love,
Andrew"

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